Facts of Life

Facts of life as discovered by me for everyone to enjoy and comment on

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

My father, Sher Singh Agrawal, left us on February 28, 2011 in Seattle, USA. He passed away from cardiac arrest while enjoying one of his favorite pastimes: walking in the park with my mother.He was born in New Delhi on July 19th, 1938. He lived in several countries while serving with the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions and later settled in Seattle, Washington to be close to his children. In a life characterized by quiet activism, his passing occurred hardly a few hours after his last blog post, visible below. We will always remember him for his love of life, his passion for helping everyone around him, and the irreplaceable impact he made on each of our lives. The last rites were performed on March 1, 2011. Sher Singh is survived by his wife, four children, and eight grandchildren. We all love him dearly and cannot begin to express our heartache. Although we will forever miss his uplifting presence, we know he is in a better place now. Please join us in prayer for his soul.

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park , forest rangersbegan their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.

When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.... because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.That is MOTHER'S LOVE, which is universal, whether man or animal or birds.

Today, I have been let down very badly by you and your newspaper – The Indian Express.

I did not lose any bet. I lost all my convictions.

My friend had seen today’s Times of India before reaching the park, and cried literally for not seeing any worthwhile mention of the BABA Ramdev Rally, held YESTERDAY (27FEB) in the Ramlila Grounds, attracting thousands of his followers to listen to his CALL. He insisted that the Indian Express was no different and that this new Crusader against Corruption would not be covered even by the Indian Express. Thanks to the AASTHA CHANNEL, we had seen it LIVE FROM 2PM TO 6PM, even though there was the most wanted Cricket Match, India vs. England, demanting attention on all other TV Channels.

I was shocked that The Times of India had done so. But I insisted that my newspaper, my Indian Express, would carry the whole story in full and in color. Lo and Behold, I FELT CHATED. MY eyes could not believe it. There was not a single word on it. I was totally wrong. SO, Now, you are no different from any other - he so-called Journalism of Courage. HA !!!

Since 1960 I have been reading my Indian Express. It was Mr. Prem Chand Arya who introduced your newspaper to me. He had shifted next to my house in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. If you could recall he retired as the Director General News Services, All India Radio, and always insisted that the only newspaper we could trust was this one which stood the test of time. Mr. Arya also had functioned as Dy. Chief Censors during the sad era of Emergency declared by Mrs. Gandhi, and although he must have censored more pages of your stories, than the others Nespapers, day in and day out, yet he told his family/friends how bad he felt when he had to do this to the Indian Express which was “different” from others.

Sorry, I think we are passing thru the cruelest period of our lives. All the pillars of our constitution are in shambles !!! ….and late Shri Goenka’s soul must be cursing you all.

YOU ARE ALL CRAWLING WITHOUT EVEN HAVING BEEN ASKED TO BEND, DESPITE THERE BEING NO EMERGENCY, NO CENSORS.

This is a true story...sensitive, touching and more. Please take the time to read it.

A Girl With An Apple

(This is a true story and you can find out more by Googling Herman Rosenblat. He was Bar Mitzvahed at age 75)

August 1942. Piotrkow, Poland.

The sky was gloomy that morning as we waited anxiously. All the men, women and children of Piotrkow's Jewish ghetto had been herded into a square.

Word had gotten around that we were being moved. My father had only recently died from typhus, which had run rampant through the crowded ghetto. My greatest fear was that our family would be separated.

I was put to work in the camp's crematorium, loading the dead into a hand-cranked elevator.

I, too, felt dead. Hardened, I had become a number.

Soon, my brothers and I were sent to Schlieben, one of Buchenwald's sub-camps near Berlin.

One morning I thought I heard my mother's voice.

'Son,' she said softly but clearly, I am going to send you an angel.'

Then I woke up. Just a dream. A beautiful dream.

But in this place there could be no angels. There was only work. And hunger. And fear.

A couple of days later, I was walking around the camp, around the barracks, near the barbed-wire fence where the guards could not easily see I was alone.

On the other side of the fence, I spotted someone: a little girl with light, almost luminous curls. She was half-hidden behind a birch tree.

I glanced around to make sure no one saw me. I called to her softly in German. 'Do you have something to eat?'

She didn't understand.

I inched closer to the fence and repeated the question in Polish. She stepped forward. I was thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped around my feet, but the girl looked unafraid. In her eyes, I saw life.

She pulled an apple from her woolen jacket and threw it over the fence.

I grabbed the fruit and, as I started to run away, I heard her say faintly, 'I'll see you tomorrow.'

I returned to the same spot by the fence at the same time every day. She was always there with something for me to eat - a hunk of bread or, better yet, an apple.

We didn't dare speak or linger. To be caught would mean death for us both.

I didn't know anything about her, just a kind farm girl, except that she understood Polish. What was her name? Why was she risking her life for me?

Hope was in such short supply, and this girl on the other side of the fence gave me some, as nourishing in its way as the bread and apples.

Nearly seven months later, my brothers and I were crammed into a coal car and shipped to Theresienstadt camp in Czechoslovakia .

'Don't return,' I told the girl that day. 'We're leaving.'

I turned toward the barracks and didn't look back, didn't even say good-bye to the little girl whose name I'd never learned, the girl with the apples.

We were in Theresienstadt for three months. The war was winding down and Allied forces were closing in, yet my fate seemed sealed.

On May 10, 1945, I was scheduled to die in the gas chamber at 10:00 AM.

In the quiet of dawn, I tried to prepare myself. So many times death seemed ready to claim me, but somehow I'd survived. Now, it was over.

I thought of my parents. At least, I thought, we will be reunited.

But at 8 A .M. there was a commotion. I heard shouts, and saw people running every which way through camp. I caught up with my brothers.

Russian troops had liberated the camp! The gates swung open. Everyone was running, so I did too. Amazingly, all of my brothers had survived;

I'm not sure how. But I knew that the girl with the apples had been the key to my survival.

In a place where evil seemed triumphant, one person's goodness had saved my life, had given me hope in a place where there was none.

My mother had promised to send me an angel, and the angel had come.

Eventually I made my way to England where I was sponsored by a Jewish charity, put up in a hostel with other boys who had survived the Holocaust and trained in electronics. Then I came to America, where my brother Sam had already moved. I served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War, and returned to New York City after two years.

By August 1957 I'd opened my own electronics repair shop. I was starting to settle in.

One day, my friend Sid who I knew from England called me.

'I've got a date. She's got a Polish friend. Let's double date.'

A blind date? Nah, that wasn't for me.

But Sid kept pestering me, and a few days later we headed up to the Bronx to pick up his date and her friend Roma.

I had to admit, for a blind date this wasn't so bad. Roma was a nurse at a Bronx hospital. She was kind and smart. Beautiful, too, with swirling brown curls and green, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with life.

The four of us drove out to Coney Island. Roma was easy to talk to, easy to be with.

Turned out she was wary of blind dates too!

We were both just doing our friends a favour. We took a stroll on the boardwalk, enjoying the salty Atlantic breeze, and then had dinner by the shore. I couldn't remember having a better time.

We piled back into Sid's car, Roma and I sharing the backseat.

As European Jews who had survived the war, we were aware that much had been left unsaid between us. She broached the subject, 'Where were you,' she asked softly, 'during the war?'

'The camps,' I said. The terrible memories still vivid, the irreparable loss. I had tried to forget. But you can never forget.

She nodded. 'My family was hiding on a farm in Germany, not far from Berlin,' she told me. 'My father knew a priest, and he got us Aryan papers.'

I imagined how she must have suffered too, fear, a constant companion. And yet here we were both survivors, in a new world.

'There was a camp next to the farm.' Roma continued. 'I saw a boy there and I would throw him apples every day.'

What an amazing coincidence that she had helped some other boy. 'What did he look like? I asked.

'He was tall, skinny, and hungry. I must have seen him every day for six months.'

My heart was racing. I couldn't believe it.

This couldn't be.

'Did he tell you one day not to come back because he was leaving Schlieben?'

Roma looked at me in amazement. 'Yes!'

'That was me!'

I was ready to burst with joy and awe, flooded with emotions. I couldn't believe it! My angel.

'I'm not letting you go.' I said to Roma. And in the back of the car on that blind date, I proposed to her. I didn't want to wait.

'You're crazy!' she said. But she invited me to meet her parents for Shabbat dinner the following week.

There was so much I looked forward to learning about Roma, but the most important things I always knew: her steadfastness, her goodness. For many months, in the worst of circumstances, she had come to the fence and given me hope. Now that I'd found her again, I could never let her go.

That day, she said yes. And I kept my word. After nearly 50 years of marriage, two children and three grandchildren, I have never let her go.

Herman Rosenblat of Miami Beach , Florida

This story is being made into a movie called The Fence.

This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people world-wide.

Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us distribute it around the world.

Please don't just delete it. It will only take you a minute to pass this along. Thanks!

Brave Subramaniam Swami is fighting a war for Bharat mataa alone. He publicly says Sonia made Rs 30,000 crores in 2G spectrum alone. He challenges her to file a defamation case against him and come to the witness box. My wife and I are glad that he was our guest in our house in USA for a week during the emergency, when we arranged for his speaking at local universities and raised some funds for his expenses. A real patriot and brave soldier of mother India, Swami, deserves your support. I need his email so that I can write to him. Narendra Bhai gives a clean and progressive government in Gujarat, but he has been haunted, hated and defamed by Sonia Maino, her agents, and her shoe touchers. Now another soldier is on the battleground. Let's join the fight in stopping this massive and unprecedented loot of India. Please read below.

But enough to give sleepless nights to many of his adversaries, and heart attacks to some.

When he 'washes' them in public, he washes them clean, inside out!

Complete 'Dhulai' !!!!!!!!!!

====================

Saturday, February 26, 2011 8:38:01 PM (IST)

Sonia Gandhi Made Rs 30,000 Cr in 2G Spectrum Scam - Dr Swamy

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)

Mangalore, Feb 26: Dr Subrahmanian Swamy, national president of Janata party, demanded the cancellation of all licenses and their reallocation and asserted that only such a move would bring about a solution to the 2G spectrum imbroglio.He was delivering a talk at a programme organized by Citizen Council, Mangalore at Sanghanikethan, Mannagudda, here on Saturday February 26.

He covered many issues in his comprehensive talk, including corruption, economic distress caused by corruption, illegal money deposited in Swiss banks by political and corporate bigwigs, Hindutva, among others.He recalled that the central government had once cancelled allocation of petrol bunk licences and had reallocated them to clean up the mess in the auction procedures.On a lighter note, he said that earlier the catchphrase for India was 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' but today it is 'Satyam Spectrum Scam.'

Before expounding on the 2G spectrum scam, Dr Swamy said that such a blunder had never before happened in India, "Hence, it is my duty to tell what the 2G scam is all about in simple terms. Telecom licences for the 2G spectrum were issued in 2008 at 2001 prices, resulting in a massive loss of Rs 1,76,000 crore to the nation. This estimated loss is almost equal to defense budget of the country," he said."When I called Kapil Sibal and Montek Singh Ahluwalia for public debate on the issue, they did not dare to come," he said, and lamented the cynical attitude of the public and the media at a time when new scams are battering the economy every other day.

Coming down severely on the focus on Rahul Gandhi as the future prime minister, he said the '2G,' - Sonia G and Manmohan G - were more than enough for the people to tolerate, and they would not want another G - Rahul G - adding to the list."Manmohan Singh was not 'elected' but 'appointed' Prime Minister and he took action on the 2G scam only after I filed a criminal case against Raja," he said. He said that the country is ready for another election but not for another PM from the UPA."Raja, who used to ride a bicycle in Chennai earlier, now possess an asset worth six thousand crores. How could he gather such a big amount?" he questioned. He also accused Sonia Gandhi of pocketing Rs 30,000 crore in the 2G scam, and said that the reason she does not want to file a defamation case against him is that she fears being taken to the witness box.

Taking a jibe at Karunanidhi, he narrated an anecdote wherein the Tamil Nadu leader had questioned him whether Lord Rama was an engineer as his name was attached with a bridge (Rama Sethu), which was an insult to the god. But when he fell sick soon after he was admitted to Ramachandra hospital, and Swamy retorted that maybe Rama was an MBBS.Speaking on the issue of black money, he said that he had suggested the earlier government to investigate the source of Rahul Gandhi's college fees when he was studying in the US, but no action was taken.A Raghavendra Rao, chairman Srinivas Group of Institutions presided over the programme. Bhaskar Devasya, president, Citizen Councils, M K Suvrath Kumar, convener, Rajkamal Das, secretary were also present in dais.

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=96121

__._,_.___Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (2) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group MARKETPLACEStay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

EK DHOODHO HAJAAR MILTE HAIN!

not only inIndia, you find them in the US ऑफ़ A as well by dozens!ek dhoodho hajaar milte hain, as Ghalib may have said!एक ढूढो हज़ार मिलते हैं!--------------------------------------------------------------a DC airport ticket agent narrates . . .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Krishnaswamy Narasimhan Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 7:45 AM To: Krishnaswamy Narasimhan I can not believe that these things could have happened. Sounds like "Howlers" in school exams. But, how come, this ticketing agent has quoted names which are real and not fictitious. I just can not believe it.

Amusing but looks like a clever concoction. *Mind of Politicians are Global Phenomena*

A DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of 'why' their country is in trouble:

1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)

2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts ..''

Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa ''

His response -- click.

3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.

He replied, 'don't lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!'' (OMG)

4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ''Is it possible to see England from Canada ?''

I said, ''No.''

She said, ''But they look so close on the map.'' (OMG, again!)

5. An aide for a cabinet member(Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas . I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.'' (Aghhhh)

6. An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.

I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.

7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ''Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?'' I said, 'No, why do you ask?'

He replied, ''Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!''

After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , Ca. Is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage.

8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ''Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii ?''

9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright (D) from Ala who asked, ''How do I know which plane to get on?''

I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ''I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.''

10. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)Called and said, ''I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?''

I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane.

She said, ''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''

11. Mary Landrieu (D) La. Senator called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. 'Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those''

I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I told her this she said, ''Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!''

12. A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations, ''I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .''

I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ''Are you sure that's the name of the town?''

'Yes, what flights do you have?'' replied the man.

After some searching, I came back with, ''I'm sorry, sir, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a rhino anywhere."

During my 2.5hr flight to Miami, I witnessed 3 passengers around me ingest nearly 4,000 calories! Chips, bars of chocolate, Reese’s cups, kit-kats, soda, family-sized bags of Twizzlers being handed to an 8yr old. (I braced myself for the kid’s sugar-high fidgets against the back of my seat for the next hour!!)

I’m headed to Miami to teach spin classes at Soul Cycle’s seasonal South Beach studio. South Beach. I’ve been pining for the warm weather everyday of January in NYC and envisioning a bathing suit every time I snacked. Focus is a real challenge in daily life. And even though supermarkets and eat-out spots are advertising “healthy alternatives” everywhere we look- it’s actually more difficult than ever to nourish our bodies effectively. Many low-fat/low-carb/fat-free eat-out options lack nutrients, protein, taste, and often leave our bodies unsatisfied. Anyone who’s tried to live off of “diet-food” can attest: you’re set up for failure.

Which brings me back to eating right on-the-go. Take this flight for instance.The healthiest thing American Airlines has to offer me is trail mix, with added salt and sweetener. mmmm. (help me!)

Here’s 4 great ways to avoid unnecessary calories:

1. Plan ahead.

As I sit on this flight, my tummy rumbles. Turns out I did forget something: my fr*&%in’ lunch! Since airport food is $$$ and um, just plain gross, it’s imperative to pack snacks.

Snacks I usually go for:

- baby carrots and hummus (zucchini hummus for a lower carb option)

- 1/2 cup raw almonds (not eaten all at once- they are filling and calorically dense)

- apple or orange

- grilled chicken and kale and a touch of dressing (Kale won’t get limp when kept in tupperware like salad greens)

- Turkey or Chicken cold cuts rolled up in a romaine leaf on the outside (makes for easier/cleaner eating) with a touch of mustard

- blanched broccoli with sea salt and pepper

- yogurt

2. Ask “Why do I want to eat?”

Whether sitting in a meeting or taxiing on the tarmac, always ask yourself if you are truly in need of nourishment before breaking out snacks. Stress and boredom are common impulses for snacking but they are surefire waistline ruiners. If you have a workout coming up or if you know your schedule won’t allow you to eat for a while, then by all means- EAT SMART!

3. Trick the treat:

Cravings are legit. I am certainly one to reach for the sweets depending on mood, hormones, or energy levels. Here are some good substitutions:

Keep small baggies and tupperware readily available in your kitchen. Some of the easiest snacks and lunches are the leftovers from last night’s (healthy) dinner! After preparing your dinner, set aside a lunch portion for the next day. This will prevent over-eating at night and keep you running the next day!

important information

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------dad rao Wed, Feb 23, 2011 at 6:42 PM To: ramji_p@yahoo.com, hbutani@hotmail.com Bcc: agrasen@gmail.com Dear Mr.Butani and Mr.Ramjibhai,I thank you for your mail,and as desired by you, I am forwarding this to all ICC members and also to several friends of mine. Warm regards.M.K.Rao

5. If anyone has met with fire accident or people born with problems in their ear, nose and mouth can get free PLASTIC SURGERY done by Kodaikanal PASAM Hospital . From 23rd March to 4th April by German Doctors. Everything is free. Contact : 045420-240668,245732 "Helping Hands are Better than Praying Lips"

6. If you find any important documents like Driving license, Ration card, Passport, Bank Pass Book, etc., missed by someone, simply put them into any near by Post Boxes. They will automatically reach the owner and Fine will be collected from them.

7. By the next 10 months, our earth will become 4 degrees hotter than what it is now. Our Himalayan glaciers are melting at rapid rate. So let all of us lend our hands to fight GLOBAL WARMING. -Plant more Trees. -Don't waste Water & Electricity. -Don't use or burn Plastics

8. It costs 38 Trillion dollars to create OXYGEN for 6 months for all Human beings on earth. "TREES DO IT FOR FREE" "Respect them and Save them. They are responsible for making your air clean"

9. Special phone number for Eye bank and Eye donation: 04428281919 and 04428271616 (Sankara Nethralaya Eye Bank). For More information about how to donate eyes plz visit these sites. http://ruraleye.org/

12. Please CHECK WASTAGE OF FOOD If you have a function/party at your home in India and food gets wasted, don't hesitate to call 1098 (only in India ) - Its not a Joke, This is the number of Child helpline. They will come and collect the food. Please circulate this message which can help feed many children. AND LETS TRY TO HELP INDIA BE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN Please Save Our Mother Nature for "OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS"

Please don't delete this without forwarding.Let it reach the 110 Crores Indians and the remaining if any.

From: Centre for hindu media Research and studies centreforhindu@yahoo.com

Madurai: 14.02.2011.

In protest against the celebration of Valentine's Day, activists of Hindu Youth Federation (HYF) performed wedding of donkeys near the Veerapandiya Kattabomman Statue at Periyar bus stand, at Madurai, Tamil Nadu today.

Led by HYF District President M N Rajan, the activists, numbering about 50, including 20 women, brought the donkeys in a procession and conducted the marriage in full public view.

With the 'bride' decked up in a saree and the 'bridegroom' in a dhoti, the wedding was performed with traditional Hindu rituals.

The protestors held placards demanding ban on celebration of St Valentine's Day in India which, they alleged, was against Indian culture.

Valentine Day is celebrated as a mark of St. Valentine’s love towards a girl. St. Valentine is one of the several Christian gods worshipped in western countries.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

DALAI LAMA ON INDIAN CIVILIZATION

Dalai Lama on Indian Civilization

Praising India, he said it didn't need to look out for answers."Indian civilization, when compared to the western and Chinesecivilizations, is much more sophisticated. It is the world'streasure." He repeatedly described himself as a chela of Indiantradition. "I describe Indians as the guru, we (Tibetans) are chelasof Indian guru," he said. "Essentially we learn from you."

A shopper walks past police as they stand guard outside a McDonald'srestaurant in central Beijing.

Crowds turned out in Beijing and Shanghai city centres yesterday,following an online call for a "Jasmine Revolution" in 13 cities inresponse to pro-democracy protests across the Middle East.

Nervous that the gatherings might turn into larger protests, theauthorities went on high alert.

Tens of thousands of police and state security agents were mobilisedto quell the gatherings.

More than 20 mainland cities, including Tianjin , Chengdu andGuangzhou, stepped up security measures, with state security, policeand armed forces ordered to stand by in case of emergency, accordingto the Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights andDemocracy.

Universities in Shaanxi and Jiangsu were ordered to shut their gatesto prevent students from leaving campus, it reported.

Rights group China Human Rights Defenders said at least 70 to 80people across the country had their freedom of movement restricted bypolice over the weekend. Some were detained at police stations, whileothers were put under house arrest or forcibly taken out of theirhomes by police.

Teng's wife said state security police summoned him on Saturdayafternoon and later returned to confiscate his computer and variousdocuments.

They were among a handful of lawyers detained late last week when theyheld a gathering to discuss how to help Chen Guangcheng , a blindactivist whose family has been put under house arrest for five monthssince his release from prison.

In Beijing, hundreds gathered outside a McDonald's restaurant on thebusy Wangfujing pedestrian shopping street at around 2pm yesterdaydespite a heavy police presence, said witnesses and Xinhua.

Police dispersed the crowd within an hour, although a few bystandersremained. Xinhua issued an English-language dispatch, saying policetook away two men. At one point, someone scattered several whiteflowers on the ground outside the restaurant.

One man picked up a flower and as he was about to use his mobilephone, he was taken away by police. He scuffled briefly with them.

"Why are you arresting me?" he protested loudly in front of reporters."I'm just here to do shopping."

Some at the scene said they were curious about the mysterious onlinecall for a rally, while others appeared to be just inquisitivepassers-by.

"I see hope today as there are so many young people here," said a37-year-old teacher who declined to give his name. But he said he didnot think the Middle East pro-democracy movement would spread toChina.

Beijing resident Xu Chongyang, 54, who stood outside McDonald's forthree hours, said he was surprised by the number of people who showedup.

He believed it was a wake-up call for the government, saying it shouldaddress the country's rising social tensions. A staff member atDongcheng district police station refused to respond to a reporter'squestion yesterday.

In Shanghai, more than 100 people turned up at the Peace Cinema, nearthe People's Square and at least three people were taken away bypolice, said a local resident.

One man started delivering a speech but left when police came, Xinhuasaid in an English-language dispatch. Police dispersed the crowdwithin an hour, it said.

Dozens of activists and reporters followed officers and two peoplethey detained back to a police station and stood outside.

Two protested outside the police station and one was taken away.

"I am here to demand that they end the one-party rule as soon aspossible ... so they won't be able to carry out arbitrary arrests anymore," one man told reporters.

Officials at the Huangpu district's public security bureau could notbe reached for comment yesterday.

In Guangzhou, few people turned up at the People's Park, where a rallyinitiated online was supposed to take place, but there were at least500 uniformed police officers and 30 police vehicles at the scene,guarding the park's gates and Metro station exits. A student told TVBnews he was disappointed by the lack of support.

"There are myriad social problems. We should let the leadership know,"he said, with his back facing the camera.

He told reporters they put a rice bag over him and beat and kicked himon the floor. Guangzhou police refused to comment.

In Hong Kong, a group of about 20 activists from the League of SocialDemocrats staged a rally outside the Beijing authorities'representative office to show support for the "Jasmine Revolution".

Led by party chairman Andrew To Kwan-hang as well as party legislator"Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, the protesters shouted slogans "Long livedemocracy" and "Long live the people's revolution" as they tossedpaper drawings of jasmine flowers into the Beijing Liaison Officecompound in Western.

Praising India, he said it didn't need to look out for answers."Indian civilization, when compared to the western and Chinesecivilizations, is much more sophisticated. It is the world'streasure." He repeatedly described himself as a chela of Indiantradition. "I describe Indians as the guru, we (Tibetans) are chelasof Indian guru," he said. "Essentially we learn from you."

Sairam. Please read without fail. It is for all of us.pujitha----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the people become good, the world will become good. - Baba-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

sairam everybody

i got this letter from an alumni who also stays in muscat.it is a letter written by swami in december 2010...telling us what is to be done in 2011.

“Your mission has begun.” This is what Swami wants to say to you all. Yes, your mission of increasing Viswaprema in this universe has begun. Through every single Nama you recite every day, the Viswaprema will increase. This is what will happen till next year.

This is a unique chance given to you all. This not only helps the universe, but helps you as an individual, also for your inner self.

Beware of the dawning age. Forthcoming days will see the Mother Earth getting herself recharged.

As Swam had said before, the welcoming of Golden Age has started. Mother Earth has started the preparation to welcome another Rama Rajyam – Sai Rama Rajyam.

You all will be white angels, who has to help people in distress in that time. There will be perfect peace in the mind of man and in the world. For this, you need to increase the proximity of Swami – being near to Swami. The distance between you and Me is the distance between you and your mind. You surrender to Me and you will feel that you are near to Swami. Swami is always with you, but to feel that you need this exercise.

Children! Getting to feel the nearness of Swami is difficult as it requires perfect surrender – Poorna Sharanagathi. Still more difficult is to retain it. But when Poorna Sharanagathi is there, everything is easy.

Fear not! These are the preparatory instructions for you all. Swami shall never leave you in this process. The Bandham that we have is Janmanthara Bandham. Swami knows you all for lakhs and lakhs of years. Is it easy for anything to separate a child from her mother? No, but when you are derailing from the path, this Mother will give you bitter medicine to put you back in path. My sankalpa is to raise you all to a higher conscious plane. It shall be accomplished! None can stop that.

Swami wants you all to chant Rudram. Geetha S, Krishnamoothy, Satish, your duty is to train/teach all the children in this. Device a plan and work out accordingly. This chanting should be done daily in all the house, without fail. Total reformation will happen because of this. Rudra or Shiva will destroy all ashubham and grant mangalam.

Children! This year! Your Nama japam alone can protect you all. That will be your raksha. Rama Namam is more powerful than Rama Himself. That is why chanting is required. Every morning, get up, after nature call, light the lamp and chant Rama Nama with 108 times. Then in any part of the day chant Rudram. Learn it and chant. Do this from 1st without fail in every house where you live. Not even a single day should be missed out. Situations will not be conducive! Yes, that is Kali. Are you not parting time to bath, to eat, to chat with others! Why not for this divine cause, which is going to protect you.Children! Swami will be with you all throughout. Do not doubt that, and remove the thought of fear from you. Follow all these. Swami blesses you all, My dear children!With Love and Blessings.

Your Antharyami,ri Sathya Sai Baba

In the pure, serene (Sathwic) path of meditation, you will consider repetition of the Holy Name and meditation should be as a duty and suffer any amount of trouble for its sake; you will be fully convinced that this world is just an illusion, so you will only do good under all conditions and at all times. You will desire only the good of all and will always love all; you will spend time uninterruptedly in the remembrance and meditation of the Lord. You will not crave even the fruit of repeating the Name and doing meditation; you will leave it all to the Lord. - Baba__._,_.___Attachment(s) from pujitha p

1 of 1 File(s)

Swami_Dec_2010.pdf

- BABA

-- Tel: +91.9440686787www.karunasociety.org (site under reconstruction)Facebook: http://tiny.cc/7mzqjEvery life counts. Live and help live!

Hitler and Gandhi were both able-minded, but the latter was also noble-hearted. That's the difference. Our world needs passionate minds with compassionate hearts.